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Montessori Teachers Chatboard

Extended Care?

by MF

Mar 4, 2013

I own a small Montessori school. We used to offer an extended care program, but noticed many of the extended care families did not participate or make an effort to become a part of the school community. We did away with the program after two years, and things have been going very well. However, as the years chug along, more and more parents are requested after hours care. I'm starting to realize it's almost impossible to expect parents to send their children to school from 9-3 anymore without some sort of extended program, but I'm really dragging my feet. We're thinking of an expansion, and if I decided to go back to extended care, this would be the time. I also feel that the children work so incredibly hard all day, they deserve time at home to unwind (don't we all!). It must be too exhausting to continue Montessori practices until dinnertime, and too confusing to have a free for all after school. What are your thoughts? Are there any schools out there who DON'T offer extended program...See More

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maureen I am retired now, but I had what sounds like a similar program to yours. I tried the extended care for some years and I too had mixed success. I did it as a service for the working parents. However, one year I had only one child who stayed and I had promised the parent before I knew this was going to be the case that I would be offering the program...See MoreI am retired now, but I had what sounds like a similar program to yours. I tried the extended care for some years and I too had mixed success. I did it as a service for the working parents. However, one year I had only one child who stayed and I had promised the parent before I knew this was going to be the case that I would be offering the program. I was the one who always ran it, so it made for a very long day for me. I was ready to go home by 3, not stay another couple hours. Fortuneately for everyone involved, the job didn't work out for the mother and she quit. The little guy went home at 3 instead and life was much better for him. I think that was the last year I offered extended care. I think I had the policy that there had to be a minimum of 6 children signed up full time for it to provide it.

When I downsized about three years before I retired, I completely eliminated the after care program. I also did not offer part time days. Everyone came 9AM to 3PM five days a week. I loved that. We formed a great little community each year and I had the hours that fit into my family's situation. I am sure I missed out on some families, but I wanted families who were supportive of the philosophy, not just quality day care. There are programs that offer that, I felt limited in my own resources and time and let those programs handle that. Any family that needed that extended care seemed to work out systems of care with other sources, like grandparents, nannies, college students, etc.

I agree that the change of environment is a good thing after being at school all day. When I did have it, we always spent extra time outdoors and we had a special closet filled with games, activities that we didn't utilize during school time. We used the classroom so if a child wanted to "do work" from the shelves, he could, but the closet had plenty of other opportunies. I could also close off some of the areas of the classroom if needed. The time went quickly.

If you have any questions I could answer, I will try.

Mar 5, 2013

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MF Thank you for your input, Maureen. I'll go with my gut on this one, unless finances lead me in the other direction.

Mar 9, 2013

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No. Don't be sucked in There is SO much funding these days for after-school programs that there should be plenty of other places for your students to go between 3 and 6 or whenever, if their parents can't be with them during those hours.

If it doesn't work for you personally, don't even consider it. And if you do, apply for grants, grants, grants so you can go h...See More

Mar 10, 2013

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